Posion Oak

[koffler]

I was fishing some small creeks on the 50 corridor and now have an epic case of poison oak. I found a new product (to me) named Zanfel that is working better than anything over the counter that I've ever tried. I get PO easily and have tried my fair share of products - anyways thought I'd pass this along since this dreaded plant is plentiful in the area.

P.S The fishing was good using small attractor dries for fish in the 6" - 10" range.

Jason

[Ned Morris]

How's it stack up against Tecnu?

[koffler]

From my understanding Technu should be used when you have known contact w/ the plant and it's hasn't bonded to the skin. Once the oils are 'activated' in the dermis Technu has no value. Zanfel is supposed to remove the urushiol oil once it's embedded within the dermis. Basically once you have PO (blisters, itching, etc) it looks as though Zanfel is the only product that works as described (within the dermis). There are a lot of other approaches but none have worked for me (rubbing alcohol, chlorine, lye based soaps, vinegar, etc.).

[aaron]

I've got some frankincense and myrrh that works great too that I'd be happy to sell you

[EricO]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

[Scott V]

Stop fishing in the nude and you don't have to worry about it. Duuhhhh!

[BillB]

Don't laugh, Frankincense is supposed to be an anti inflammatory! I personally like to treat my inflammations with a good ale!

[jbird]

You are correct about technu. It needs to be used as soon as possible after contact. So does this Zanfel accellerate the infection/healing cycle? Poison oak is typically about a 2 week ordeal of swelling, itching, drying, scabbing. There are some prescription creams that essentially make this process elapse in only 3-4 days. Is that what Zanfel does?

[aaron]

A lot of it depends on the person. Technu and Zanfel can work, for some people, in certain time frames. Once the oil has started to react with your skin it's all pretty much moot and up to your body to deal for the most part. Some are more lucky than others, for me prednisone unfortunately is the only thing that works. Nice to have a full arsenal but that can get expensive and results are highly variable.

[Kneedeep]

At 63 and being life-long allergic enough to get the infection from even a picture of any plant containing urushoil, I know of only one "guaranteed" method of quiclky getting rid of the itching, burning, blistered stage and it ain't no picnic; told to me by a druggist in Lexington, Ky. when I contracted it there.
**** NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART****
Get yourself a little embalming fluid. Yes.. "EMBALMING FLUID".
A funeral parlor may give you a couple of ounces..that's where I got mine.
Take a hot shower or apply a hot compress to the affected area.
Scratch the blisters open (OOHHH, IT FEELS SO GOOD) then take a Q-Tip and dab the infected area with the embalming fluid.........
Not bad at first, but after a couple of seconds.....Jesus Screaming Christ!
Feels like someone held a blow torch to the skin.
I mean it BURNS LIKE HELL.
It works because it completely burns off the infected epidermis!

Formaldehyde is the key ingredient in embalming fluid, so it will work the same if you can't score the "embalming fluid".

Obviously, I would give serious thought on which locales I would apply this.